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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29617992">Come Back to Me</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/peepeepoopoo_doopadoo/pseuds/peepeepoopoo_doopadoo'>peepeepoopoo_doopadoo</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Legend of Zelda &amp; Related Fandoms</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 05:42:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>16,550</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29617992</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/peepeepoopoo_doopadoo/pseuds/peepeepoopoo_doopadoo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Zelda returns to university, but her friends notice something off about her. New members are added to their group, bringing a change that shakes things up.</p><p>I don’t know I’m new to this, please let me know if I need to add any tags or anything.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Link/Zelda (Legend of Zelda)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>35</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is my first attempt at writing, please be kind and feel free to let me know how I can improve!</p><p>As a future warning, there are moments in the story that might mention past abuse, but I don’t plan to go into great detail about it, just know it’s there if that could be a trigger. Please let me know how to tag this so people know, as I say I’m new to all this.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Her thumb idly scrolled as the words on her screen passed glazed eyes. Slouched in the back of her dad’s car, legs propped up on the seat in front of her, Zelda was lost. Nothing on social media was grabbing her attention, her music wasn’t invigorating her, and all that had passed the window recently was street lamps. Closing her phone, and staring out towards the dark streets of Greater Plateau, Zelda tried to find shapes in the shadows. Some would flash by before she could discern anything, others she could pretend were Koroks or Blupees, dancing little figures in the alleys and doorways.</p><p>“Zelda,”</p><p>Great. She had been so lost she hadn’t heard the steadily heightening voice of her father. She steeled herself, pulling out her earphones.</p><p>“Yes Dad?” She caught a glimpse of his eyes in the rear-view mirror, temporarily illuminated by a passing lamp. They had that look she had began to get used to, not the scathing disappointment they had once held, but the quiet, desperate sadness.</p><p>“We are almost there, I just wanted to make sure you were... awake,” the steady rumble of the car crept up, as the she silently nodded, putting her earphones back in again.</p><p>———</p><p>They pulled up to the curb. Zelda looked out at the apartment building and suddenly felt very overwhelmed. This was her new place. Her new, untouched space, that she could do whatever she wanted with. Well, almost anything apparently. A light was on inside, so her roommate had already moved in.</p><p>“ZELDA!” </p><p>She was nearly knocked off her feet by the bear hug she received.</p><p>“It’s good to see you too, Impa,” Zelda giggled. Impa, however, hadn’t seemed to hear her.</p><p>“Oh my Goddesses’ what have you done to your hair!” Impa desperately pulled at the golden locks that fell to just above Zelda shoulders, seemingly hoping her efforts might cause the hair to grow back.</p><p>“I just needed a change,”</p><p>Impa looked at her for a moment, still absently playing with her hair, before hugging her again.</p><p>“I still think it was beautiful before, but it does look very nice now,”</p><p>“Zelda,”</p><p>She turned to see her father in the doorway.</p><p>“I’ve put your things in your room to unpack,”</p><p>“Are you not going to stay a while? Maybe have some tea?” She knew it was a hopeless request, that he needed to head off. And, while she wouldn’t admit it, she didn’t want him to stay. She wanted to begin this new chapter of her life as soon as possible.</p><p>“No, I really must be getting off,” she released a breath she didn’t know she was holding. She hugged him, said goodbye, and waved out the doorway as his car lights vanished in the night.</p><p>She returned to Impa in the living room, who had settled into the sofa, and was hopping from channel to channel. Without looking up at Zelda, she slapped the seat next to her a couple times.<br/>
Zelda giggled again, and sat next to her, leaning her head on Impa’s shoulder.</p><p>“You know, the others are gonna question the hair, and they aren’t going to let you off as easily as I did,” </p><p>Zelda groaned. When she had it cut she wasn’t thinking about what reactions her friends might have. But being with Impa again had made her feel braver. More like her old self.</p><p>“Well, they’ll just have to deal with it won’t they,”</p><p>Impa snickered. “Yeah, I’m sure Revali will love it when you tell him that,” Impa looked down at Zelda. “Are you going to be alright for tomorrow? We can skip it if you want,”</p><p>Zelda shook her head “No, I can’t hide from them, I love them all so much and... if anything could help it will be them,”</p><p>“Ok, but I think other people might be showing up. Mipha said that Sidon and some of his new flatmates might make an appearance, and she’s ‘ever so excited to meet them’” she aggressively made air quotes.</p><p>Zelda gently slapped her arm, trying to stifle the smile cracking across her face.</p><p>“Come on, you know she has that weird way of speaking,”</p><p>“She’s practically Zorian royalty, she was raised that way she can’t help it,”</p><p>“Still annoying,” Impa said, gently pushing Zelda’s head of her shoulder and standing up. “Want a beer?”</p><p>Zelda shook her head. “I should probably sort my stuff out,”</p><p>Impa returned from the fridge, cracking open the can. “Need a hand?”</p><p>They settled into a comfortable routine. One of them would unpack something, Zelda would ponder where it should go, second guess herself, Impa would slowly get impatient, and finally it would go where they had first decided. This continued until both suitcases where empty, her clothes folded or hung up, her books neatly ordered, and her toiletries put away. Zelda plugged her clock in, and put it on her side table.</p><p>“What’s the time?”</p><p>Impa checked her phone. “Fuck, it’s 20 past 1,” she rubbed her eyes emphatically, yawning dramatically. “This has been fun, but I think it’s time for bed,”<br/>
She got up, walking over to Zelda and kissed her on the cheek.</p><p>“Goodnight, make sure you are up early, I want to take you out for breakfast and the tables go quick,” and with that she disappeared through the door, closing at as she went.</p><p>———</p><p>That night had sucked.</p><p>Zelda had struggled to get to sleep. The first night in a new, unfamiliar place was never going to go well, but she hadn’t anticipated how badly it could go. First when she had the covers over herself, she felt stifled. Trapped. And then when she took them off, she felt vulnerable. Exposed. There was no easy middle ground she could quietly slip off in, it was one extreme or the other. She did try both. That was what people had kept telling her, to try. And, as she closed her eyes, the covers snaked around her, constricting her arms and legs. Slowly wrapping around her neck...<br/>
She burst from the duvet tomb, sweating, breath heavy.</p><p>At some point she must have drifted off, because she found herself dreaming of crimson and the constriction and the bursts and the falling and then suddenly she was crying alone in her new room. Shaking, she gathered the covers that had been thrown to the floor, and pulled them over herself trying to control the tears that had began to form.</p><p>She hadn’t heard anything, but she felt the bed move, the covers shift, and slender arms wrap around her. She turned her head slightly to see Impa pressing her face into her back.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” she whimpered, ashamed she had woken her friend.</p><p>All Impa said was a gentle “shhh”, before gently stroking Zelda’s hair.</p><p>———</p><p>And they both felt the affect in the morning, Zelda was sure of it, but Impa wouldn’t admit it.</p><p>They had both slept in, still wrapped together in Zelda’s bed. Impa wouldn’t hear a word out of Zelda, refusing to accept even the smallest of apologise.</p><p>“It’s fine,” she kept saying, “I need to work out how these cookers work anyway,” and by 11 o’clock, any idea of going out for breakfast was gone, and two plates of so-so pancakes sat before them.</p><p>“Let it be known, I tried,” Impa sighed, before taking a bite. “Oh my goddess, I’m good,” she smiled, covering her mouth to prevent spraying food everywhere.</p><p>Zelda, seeing this, dug in. It was not good. She covered her mouth, trying to hide the disgust on her face. She looked at Impa, who was looking at her expectantly.</p><p>“Yeah,” she choked, “these are incredible,”</p><p>...</p><p>Impa burst out laughing. “Oooh, I couldn’t keep it in! Your face!” She hit the table, roaring as Zelda look on bemused. “I swear the next batch will be better,” Zelda let out a chuckle, and took another bite. Why? She had no idea. Impa’s volume only rose.</p><p>“So,” Zelda spluttered, “what is the plan for today?”</p><p>Impa took a second to regain her composure. “So, we are meeting the Champions this afternoon, just as a little meet up before the party tonight, which is happening at Urbosa and Mipha’s, where we will going to get ready,”</p><p>“Come on, it’s just a house party for us and a couple others, I don’t think we need to get all dolled up for it,”</p><p>Impa raised her eyebrow at her. “I think you’ll find a fair number of people have been invited, and you know how Urbosa can be. And apparently Mipha has become very keen of one of Sidon’s roommates... And if I’m honest I wouldn’t mind finding someone to have some fun with,” she stuck her tongue out at Zelda, only to retract it suddenly. </p><p>Zelda’s hands shook. She stared down at the remaining pancakes, trying to control her breathing. The world was spinning, and she was being sucked down. And then an anchor attached and she was halted, stopped by two shiekah hands clutching, desperately onto hers.</p><p>“We don’t have to go if you don’t want to,” Impa said, trying to catch Zelda’s eye.</p><p>“No, no. I want to go... and I wouldn’t want to stop you from having any fun,” Zelda looked up and tried to smile, but it didn’t reassure Impa how she had hoped.</p><p>“I was just joking, you know I would never leave you right now, right? What ever you want we’ll do. You want to go, we will, but if you are there two minutes and want to dip? I’ll be right there, by your side, ok?”<br/>
This time Zelda’s smile was genuine. “Ok,”</p><p>They took a second before Impa finally said “We should probably get a move on, it’s nearing half twelve, and we both still need to get ready,” she winked at Zelda before picking up both plates and discarding the remaining pancakes. “We’ll get something to eat while we walk,”</p><p>———</p><p>An hour later, and they were ready. Zelda was just putting the clips into her hair when Impa popped her head around her door frame.</p><p>“You good to go?”</p><p>“Just let me grab my purse,” Zelda threw her essentials in, and walked towards the door.</p><p>“You got a change of clothes?” Impa looked sceptically at Zelda.</p><p>“No, why would I need one?” Zelda said looking down. She thought she looked quite nice in her jeans and blue jumper.</p><p>“Are you going to go to the party in that? I think we are going straight over to the other’s to get ready,” Impa gave Zelda a look. A look she new well. It was the ‘please put in some effort’ look. And Zelda was having none of it.</p><p>“I thought I looked cute,” she pouted.</p><p>“You do, but we were going to go for more of a sexy vibe, you know?” Impa said, but quickly added “although, you don’t have to if you don’t want to, actually forget I said anything,” She quickly rushed up to Zelda and grabbed her hand.</p><p>“You do look very cute,” and with that, she pulled Zelda out of the house.</p><p>———</p><p>They arrived at Ja Baij park half an hours walk later. Looking past the gate, she saw the rest of the Champions waiting.</p><p>The Champions was a dumb nickname they had come up with in their first year. In their opening week, in an attempt to promote meeting new people, the university had put people into groups that spanned courses, accommodation and anything potential barrier. These groups were then tasked with finding clues around town, and solving a quiz based on that. They had won, and so dubbed themselves champions.</p><p>This was how they had all met. Urbosa, the tall, beautiful Gerudo, the one almost everyone turned to in crisis because of how level headed she was. Mipha, the sweet, precious Zora, who was so wrapped up in trying to make sure everyone else was ok, she’d often neglect herself. Daruk, the strong, loveable Goron, round and loud, but 100% a good egg. Revali, the hot-headed, arrogant, but incredibly loyal, Rito, as wicked with a bow as he was with his tongue. And finally Zelda and Impa.</p><p>“What took you girls so long, I was thinking you might have died...” Revali drawled, expecting an apology from them before trailing off when he got a good look at them.</p><p>“My Din, what have you done with your hair!” He pointed, like the other three hadn’t see the substantial chop Zelda had had. </p><p>“Don’t listen to him, little bird, I think it looks gorgeous,” Urbosa said, walking over to give the girls hugs. </p><p>“Yeah, don’t listen to bird brain here, he just doesn’t like change,” Daruk boomed, slapping Revali on the back, sending him flying. “Anyway, get over here, we’ve brought some nibbles!”<br/>
They sat on grass, and caught each other up. On their summers, their new accommodation. What their courses had in store. Urbosa and Mipha spoke about their family coming to the university, a cousin and a brother respectively. Revali bragged about his archery scores, and Daruk just laughed. The only person not to speak about themselves was Zelda. She hoped they hadn’t noticed, and she thought she got it passed the oblivious boys, but Urbosa, Mipha and Impa kept exchanging looks, and often glanced her way.</p><p> </p><p>———</p><p>They sat around Mipha and Urbosa’s table, each in various state of readiness. Zelda was sat quite contently, bobbing her head along to the music they had put on, and slowly slurping up the noodles they had ordered in. Urbosa sat in just a vest and shorts, with her hair back in a grand pony tail, and was applying her blue lipstick while staring into a small mirror she’d brought from her room. Mipha was walking in and out of her room, each time looking for validation about the outfit she had picked out, only to ignore any positive comments she got, and go back to change. Impa had gone into Urbosa’s room to change and sort her hair out.</p><p>“Are you ok, little bird?” Urbosa said, looking at Zelda’s reflection.</p><p>“Yeah, yeah, of course I am,” Zelda said absentmindedly.</p><p>Urbosa gave her a quick, skeptical look, before returning to her make up. “Are you looking forward to tonight?”</p><p>“Yeah, I suppose, I wasn’t really expecting a big party so early on, you know,”</p><p>“Come on, it’s us, you should have seen this coming,” Urbosa laughed.</p><p>Zelda couldn’t help but smile. “Yeah, you are probably right about that,”</p><p>Urbosa’s door crashed open, Impa striding over to the table.<br/>
“It’s my go with the mirror, go get some clothes on,” she gave her a cheeky wink, before sitting down opposite Zelda, snatching the mirror from Urbosa.</p><p>“Don’t worry, I was finished anyway,” Urbosa said, giving Zelda a very exaggerated eye roll behind Impa’s back, causing her to cover her mouth before Impa noticed her chuckling.</p><p>Impa was too engrossed in her make up how ever. She had pulled her hair back into a nice bun on top, leaving the rest of her hair to fall down her back, exposing her forehead, which she now used as the canvas for a perfectly drawn blue shiekah symbol. Looking at it from a couple of angles, she smiled with satisfaction, and began on the more traditional areas of make up.</p><p>Zelda continued to look at the beautiful marking on Impa’s forehead.<br/>
“It always blows me away how perfect you do it every time,” Impa winked at her before continuing applying her make up.</p><p>Urbosa walked out her room, the vest replaced with low-cut top, and the shorts replaced with a skirt. Impa turned and looked at her.</p><p>“You’re barely covering anymore skin than you were before!”</p><p>Urbosa raised an eyebrow. “All the better to bring the boys in,” she walked over to the table, exaggerated the swaying of her hips. Impa gave her a couple of wolf whistles while Zelda laughed and clapped. “Anyway, my dear, you are hardly leaving mush to the imagination,” Urbosa looked over Impa. She had decided to go with a white crop top, and denim shorts, showing off her slender waist and long legs.</p><p>“Well I need to give you at least a little competition,” Impa said with a wink. As long as Zelda had been going on nights out with these two, they had always been competing to see who could be the most flirtatious, usually coming to a healthy tie when they had both found someone they liked for the evening.</p><p>Mipha walked in, wearing a less lavish skirt than Urbosa’s, and a button up shirt. “I think this is it, I can’t be bothered changing again,” she said, before looking at the others. “Well, maybe I could change once more...” but before she could move on, Urbosa had walked to her an popped a button on the shirt.</p><p>“There, now you are keeping up with us,”</p><p>Mipha’s cheeks turned an even brighter shade of red than their natural colour. “Well, if you really think this will do,”</p><p>“You look beautiful,” Zelda said, “you all do, and if one of you beautiful ladies could show me where the bathroom is, I would greatly appreciate it,” </p><p>“Through the kitchen, to the left,” Urbosa said, using her hand to visualise the route. Zelda nodded and headed off.</p><p>As soon as the door closed and the lock shut, Impa turned on the others, all humour gone from her face.</p><p>“We need to look after her tonight,” Urbosa and Mipha nodded in unison.</p><p>“I noticed something was off, any idea what it is?” </p><p>“Her dad had a word with me when he was dropping her off, but he only knows a little of what happened, and I don’t think she’s ready to tell the rest,” Impa looked down at the floor, biting her lip, “and what I do know isn’t mine to share, I’m sure she’ll tell you, when she is ready. But until then, we are looking after her, capeesh?”</p><p>Urbosa did a salute, while Mipha simply nodded.</p><p>“Good,” Impa turned back around just as the toilet flushed. Zelda joined them back at the table, looking to each of them.</p><p>“Okay, what now?”</p><p>Urbosa smiled, turning up the volume of the music, “We get this party started,”</p><p>———</p><p>The first party guests were the boys. They had agreed to help set up, but naturally were too late. They had brought plastic cups and cheap vodka though. The next set of guests were people Zelda didn’t know. They gravitated over towards Urbosa. This steady stream of guests continued on until the kitchen and living room were full with the continuous buzz of conversation. </p><p>And Zelda knew no one. That was expected though, she did a different course to her friends, and hadn’t invited anyone outside of their group. She sat in the corner next to Impa, who was chatting away with some people, questioning whether she should jump in and try to chat. But she couldn’t. Every time she went to speak, her voice would catch, no noise escaping her lips, and her hands would begin to shake. </p><p>“There you two are!”</p><p>Zelda looked up to see Purah pushing her way threw the crowd. Finally, someone she knew she could talk to! Jumping from her seat, she gave Purah a hug, barely containing the grin on her face. Impa, however, barely looked over.</p><p>“Come on now Impa, is that anyway to greet your sister?” Purah pouted, before looking at the group of people gathered around and winking, “watch out boys, she’s a biter!”</p><p>Impa looked over at her indignantly, shock carved into her face. Some of the boys quickly and quietly dispersed into the crowd.</p><p>“Purah, you can’t be saying stuff like that, especially about your sister, it’s not cool,”</p><p>Purah simply shrugged, sitting down next to Zelda, and opening a bottle of beer. “If you run you might still be able to catch one of them,”</p><p>Impa looked back over her shoulder and shook her head, “Nah, none of them were really good enough for me,”</p><p>“Preach,” Purah said, offering her bottle out for a cheers, which Impa and Zelda joined in on.</p><p>“Where’s Robbie?”</p><p>“Oh he’s here somewhere, probably arguing with Daruk about who’s got better tech; Gorons or Shiekahs, or something. I keep telling him it’s not worth it and Daruk doesn’t mean anything by it, but he gets himself all worked up about it,” Purah sighed. “Anyway, what you girls been up to today? All set for the semester Zelda?”</p><p>Purah was in the year above them, and was doing the same course Zelda was, so naturally she helped her with almost every module. If ever Zelda struggled or didn’t have time to fully understand something, Purah’s notes would be emailed to her within minutes. Not that she struggled often.</p><p>“I’m all good to go, thank you for the textbooks by the way!”</p><p>“Don’t sweat it,” Purah patted Zelda’s hand. Zelda had managed to make friends with a very protective pair of sisters. “Yo, why do you keep staring at the door,” Purah emphasised the question with a swift kick under the table. With the size of her boots, it must have hurt, and Impa’s grunt only confirmed Zelda’s suspicion.</p><p>“Mipha’s brother is supposed to be showing up with a couple of his flatmates, and Mipha seems to be very taken by one, I want to know if the hype is justified,” Impa said sourly, rubbing her knee in an attempt to sooth the boot shaped red mark that was rising.</p><p>“Watch out Impa, you don’t want to upset her by stealing him away,”</p><p>“Will you shut up of fuck sake!” Impa grabbed some crisps from a nearby bowl and threw them at Purah, who dodged cackling. None of the laughing girls noticed the group of boys walk over to them.</p><p>“Hi, I’m Groose, this is Cawlin, and this is Strich, and we were just wondering if you lovely ladies needed any looking after this evening?” He pulled a chair between Impa and Zelda and sat down before they could get a word out. Zelda froze. Every muscle, every fibre, she swore even her blood, went stiff, tensed by the sudden closeness of this stranger. Her breathing, as hard as she tried to control it, began to pick up. She could feel tears begin to pierce through her eyes. She noticed one of Groose’s hands moving over towards her leg, a move she was sure he thought was smooth. A different hand had suddenly found itself blocking the way.</p><p>“Sorry boys, but were actually going to get some fresh air, our boys are waiting for us outside you see, sorry to let you down,” Purah began to pull Zelda up and out of her seat, and Zelda was in no state to fight back. Impa was already a head of them, pushing people out the way to allow them through the crowd, and the three made their way to the door, ignoring the angry calls of the boys left behind.</p><p>As soon as they were outside Zelda was glad she was wearing her jumper from earlier. There wasn’t any breeze, but the air was still cold, and Impa in her crop top was clearly unhappy. But she didn’t say anything. She just took Zelda’s hands in hers, and smiled at her.</p><p>“You’re okay, we’re here, don’t worry,” she pulled Zelda into a hug. Purah began to gently rub her back, and, out of Zelda’s vision, gave a questioning look to Impa, who mouthed ‘later’ in response. Zelda closed her eyes, and focused on her breathing. In, and out. In, and out.<br/>
They stood for a couple minutes, locked in this same position.</p><p>When finally Zelda opened her eyes, she whispered in Impa’s ear “I think I’m okay now,” and went to pull out the hug, but found herself trapped in the embrace.</p><p>“No... not yet... so warm... can’t stop hugging...” Impa moaned, refusing to let go. Purah smiled, before slapping the back of Impa’s head. In retaliation, she threw out a wild quick, trying to find Purah, but failing, before, finally, releasing Zelda.</p><p>She took her hands again, and leaned down to catch Zelda’s eye. “Do you want to go back in, or call it a night?”</p><p>She didn’t know. She didn’t want to face all these people. She didn’t want to be cramped. But she really didn’t want to let her friend down. And in that moment her friend was the most important thing.</p><p>“We can go back in, we haven’t met Sidon yet,”</p><p>Impa grinned widened, and she pulled Zelda enthusiastically to the door. She stopped, however, and turned slowly. “We can go whenever you want, I won’t hesitate to walk out of here with you. You will tell me if it’s to much right?”</p><p>“I’ll let you know if I want to go,” Zelda said. She knew she was loved, but she didn’t know she was this loved. Impa loved a house party, and was never the first to leave.</p><p>“Yo! Is this Mipha’s place?” A tall, handsome Zora walked up to them, a giant toothy grin plastered across his face.</p><p>“Indeed it is, you must be Sidon?” Purah stepped forward, extending her hand.</p><p>“Indeed I am,” instead of shaking, Sidon took Purah’s hand, bent low, and kissed it. And it had the desired effect. Purah’s cheeks turned as red as Sidon’s, and she turned quickly to hide it.</p><p>“Well I guess we had better head inside then,” and with that she was shoving Impa and Zelda inside. Impa cackled as the uncomfortable heat of the party enveloped them, poking Purah as she scowled. As soon as Sidon bent his head under the door frame and entered the room, a cry from the kitchen was louder than the gentle din of conversation.</p><p>“Sidon! Over here!” Mipha had to jump for them to spot her in the crowd. She was stood with Urbosa and Robbie, and was beckoning them over.</p><p>What the three girls hadn’t noticed, were the two that had followed Sidon in, and joined them in the kitchen.</p><p>“Riju, I’m so glad you made it!” Urbosa cried, picking who Zelda assumed was Riju up in a massive hug and spinning her, making her long braid fly out, nearly hitting the surrounding people.<br/>
“Everyone, meet Riju, she is my younger cousin!”</p><p>“And this,” Sidon butted in, “is Yunobo,” indicating the tentative Goron that had accompanied them.</p><p>Mipha, clearly having had more to drink than her small frame could handle, was unabashedly not listening to Sidon, and instead was craning her neck around him, looking for a fourth phantom that should have been with them, but wasn’t.<br/>
“Sidon, is Link not with you?”</p><p>Impa nudged Zelda, side stepping closer to her so she could whisper “So, he has a name,”. Zelda covered her giggle with a cough.</p><p>“Oh, no, unfortunately there was a change up at his job and he had to cover a shift,” Sidon sighed, “I told him he had to come and meet you all, but he needs the money. He did say he would try and swing by afterwards,”</p><p>Whatever conversation followed, Zelda didn’t know, as she had noticed that the boy from earlier, was his name Groob? Groole? Either way, he had noticed her as well, and was trying to push his way over. At the same moment, someone pushed by them, and the physical contact made her gag. She tried to hide physical reaction as much as possible, but she knew Impa, Purah and Urbosa had all noticed. Should she say she had had to much to drink and it affected her? No, she had had the least out of all of them. Maybe she should say the guy smelled really bad? They had all been close enough to smell him, so that wouldn’t work. The panic of being seen only made her start to shake more.</p><p>Purah, somehow, came to the rescue again. With an overly dramatic yawn, she checked her phone, made another dramatic face, and turned to Robbie. “Babe, I’ve gotta be up early-ish tomorrow, I think we best get going. It’s been lovely seeing you all again,” she gave everyone a hug, leaving Zelda until last. When she finished their hug, she took a second and then said, like a sudden idea sprang to her head, “Zel, this thing in the morning would be good for you actually, it’s course related and I know you like to get a head start, you should come! But, you would have to leave early,” she winked at her.</p><p>The mad genius. Zelda smiled and nodded, “that sounds amazing, I’d love to come,” she hoped the trembling she felt didn’t make it into her voice. She looked to Impa, “are you going to be okay on your own, or?” Impa smiled at her and nodded, giving a quick thankful look to Purah.</p><p>“I’ll be alright here, you make sure you get some rest. And message me when you get home,” they hugged, and Zelda quickly followed Purah out of the house.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Movie Night</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Don’t worry, you look fine!”</p>
<p>Midna ruffled Link’s hair again, getting the disgruntled response she wanted, laughing as they made their way down the street.</p>
<p>“I’m not worried,” he said, desperately trying to salvage what was left of his hairstyle, before sighing and pulling it back into a ponytail. “Anyway, why are you tagging along?”</p>
<p>“I’ll have you know I was invited as well, I have been at this university longer than you,” she stuck her tongue out at him. She didn’t mention that his brother had asked her to keep an eye on him, he wouldn’t have liked that. She took his arm as they turned into the street they were looking for. “And, if I hadn’t of come, imagine how lost you would have been, these streets are a maze,”</p>
<p>They both laughed as they stopped in front of the house they were looking for. Midna turned to Link.</p>
<p>“Ready?”</p>
<p>He took a second, then nodded, and she opened the door.</p>
<p>There were a lot of people. Farore there were a lot of people. Link looked around, hoping to see a big red head, with a long braid, poking out the top of the crowd, but couldn’t see Sidon anywhere. Midna slowly managed to pull Link through the crowd, which he was very thankful for. He didn’t think he would be able to push through on his own.</p>
<p>“MIDNA!” A very pretty, excited woman leaped through the crowd, wrapping her arms around Midna’s neck and dragging her through to her little group.</p>
<p>“Impa! So good to see you!” Midna said, giving her a one armed hug so she could keep an arm linked with Link. “My, your hair has grown so long!” She emphasised this by running her had the full length of Impa’s silver hair, which almost reached the floor.</p>
<p>Impa gave a very pleased smile, before turning to her group. “I’m so sorry, I’ll introduce everyone, this is Urbosa, Mipha and Daruk,” she pointed to each as she introduced them, “and this is Midna, she helped Zel and me last year, I don’t know what we would have done without her,”</p>
<p>Midna shook everyone in the groups hand, giving a small greeting, while Impa noticed the handsome boy on Midna’s arm who hadn’t said a word.</p>
<p>“Midna, who’s this snack who’s hiding away?”</p>
<p>Midna pulled Link around, so he couldn’t hide behind her anymore. “This is...”</p>
<p>“Link!” Mipha interrupted, her red cheeks flushing a darker shade when she realised what she had done. She breathed a quick ‘sorry’ before looking away embarrassed.</p>
<p>“I see you already know each other,” Midna smirked, an eyebrow cocked, and a smile aimed at a giggling Impa. Link waved to the others, trying his hardest to be as small as possible. It didn’t work though.</p>
<p>“Did someone say Link?” Sidon parted the crowd, an excited look on his face. He spotted Link, cheered, and picked him up before he could protest. “Come on, we’re playing beer pong, I need your aim dude, we’re getting crushed,” and without another word, he was gone, Link slung over his shoulder.</p>
<p>Midna couldn’t hold it in. She burst out laughing, almost doubling over, Impa doing similar.</p>
<p>“How’d you know Link?” Urbosa asked, absentmindedly watching the hulking figure of Sidon drop him in the distance, </p>
<p>“He’s my boyfriend’s brother,” Midna said, turning to Impa, “you remember Twilink?”</p>
<p>Impa nodded, turning to say something to Mipha, only to find the petite Zora missing. She looked around, trying to catch a glimpse of her.</p>
<p>“I think,” Urbosa smiled, “she followed the boys, she could have at least said something,”</p>
<p>“She really is smitten isn’t she,” Impa giggled. “We should go over as well, I think Revali is playing with them and I’d love to see him get crushed!”</p>
<p>———</p>
<p>A gentle tapping at the door woke Zelda. She hadn’t had the best nights sleep, and with the lack of Impa to reassure her, it had taken a long time to find a relatively restful slumber. </p>
<p>“Come in,” she called, and Impa slowly poked her head in. Her hair was mostly damp, and she was wearing an old t-shirt and some underpants.</p>
<p>“Hey there Zel, I just wanted to check in on you,” Impa walked over, and without asking, made herself comfortable under the sheets with her.</p>
<p>Zelda propped herself up, “what time did you get in? I didn’t hear you,”</p>
<p>Impa sheepishly rubbed her neck, avoiding Zelda’s gaze. “Well, you see, I actually only got back about half an hour ago...”</p>
<p>Zelda scoffed, holding her mouth to hide her giggles, “is that why you showered first, get the cooties off before seeing me? Didn’t want me to smell the shame?”</p>
<p>Impa slapped her arm, but she had a wide smile on her face.</p>
<p>“So, who was the lucky boy?” And the smile left. Zelda was worried she had over stepped. Impa was never shy about her conquests, but this suddenly felt different. Impa’s go lucky, happy attitude was suddenly replaced with what looked like guilt. “It’s fine if you don’t want to talk about it,” Zelda spluttered hastily to reassure her friend.</p>
<p>“No no, it’s fine, I just...” Impa looked over to Zelda, her eyes wet, “I fucked up Zel, I think I fucked up bad,”</p>
<p>Zelda wrapped her arms around Impa, “hey, hey, shh, I’m sure it’s not that bad,” she stroked Impa’s hair, “it’s okay... it wasn’t one of those gross guys was it?” </p>
<p>Impa halfhearted slapped Zelda’s back, “I’m serious Zel,”</p>
<p>“Okay, okay, tell me what happened,” Impa untangled herself from Zelda, looking her dead in the eye, her bottom lip trembling.</p>
<p>“It was Link,”</p>
<p>That name was familiar. That was the one Sidon mentioned, and Mipha was looking for...</p>
<p>“Shit,” Zelda whispered.</p>
<p>Impa nodded, “Mipha’s going to hate me,” </p>
<p>“No, no, Mipha won’t hate you, I don’t think Mipha could hate anyone,” Zelda pulled Impa into a tight hug again, continuing the stroking. “Talk me through what happened,”</p>
<p>“So after you left, Midna showed up with Link, we were barely introduced before Sidon whisked him off to play beer pong. We followed soon after to watch, they were playing against Revali and apparently Link is quite good, and you know how Revali hates to lose. Turns out Link is very good, and Revali was very pissed, both figuratively and literally. And we all got to talking after and Link was really quiet, until we got a couple of drinks into him and then he opened up,” Impa stopped for a breath, and Zelda jumped on the chance to butt in.</p>
<p>“This is all very nice, but you haven’t got to the part where Mipha might start hating you,”</p>
<p>“Well, you see, Mipha was the drunkest I’ve ever seen her, and she wasn’t exactly being subtle, so she kept trying to flirt with Link,” Zelda cringed, Mipha was not the flirty type, and if she were drunk then who knows how bad it could have got, “and, here’s the thing, turns out that while he is hot as fuck, Link is also a massive dork, and didn’t pick on it at all,”</p>
<p>“Oh Goddesses, that must have been painful to watch,” Zelda said, rubbing her face like she could remove the awkward images she had conjured in her mind.</p>
<p>“Trust me, it was worse, we were all stood in a group so we were all 3rd, 4th, 5th wheeling, or whatever, but the 2nd wheel didn’t know we were in motion. But then, after about 20 minutes, Sidon starts chucking, and Mipha being Mipha took care of him, which freed Link up to talk to the rest of us, and he was really nice, and funny and we were all laughing, then Daruk and Revali left, and most of the rest of the party did until it was just Urbosa, the man she had been chatting up during the night, Link and me, and we thought it would be a good idea to leave them to it. We got half way down the road, he said he would walk me home, and, I don’t know, I just kissed him,”</p>
<p>“Just like that, no build up, nothing, just out of the blue,”</p>
<p>“Well, yeah, I don’t know why but I did, he did back, then we fucked,”</p>
<p>They sat in the silence for a second, allowing the words to stew. Zelda mulled it all over in her mind. Yes, there had been the implication that Mipha liked Link, but she had never explicitly said anything. It might have been glaringly obvious to her friends, but she had never actually told them. So how was Impa to know? She did know, so it was wrong, but also how was she to know, so is it really wrong?</p>
<p>“I think you might need to play the ignorance card,”</p>
<p>“Huh?”</p>
<p>“Like, play it off like you didn’t know she was in to him, and it’s not like you are into him, right?” Zelda was maybe a little to apprehensive with that final question, because Impa jumped on it a little to quickly.</p>
<p>“No, no, definitely not, it was all physical. I mean, he’s nice, sweet, funny, total boyfriend material, you know, but there wasn’t the spark,”</p>
<p>Zelda didn’t nod along, and her eyes began to glaze. The spark. The feeling in the pit of your stomach that could explode into the beautiful flames of love and life, or rot, and decay you from inside out..</p>
<p>“We should get some food, no pancakes today, I promise,” Impa said, pulling Zelda out of bed.</p>
<p>“You left your new boyf at his, right? I don’t need to worry about walking around in my pjs?” Zelda teased. Impa turned, sticking her tongue out playfully.</p>
<p>“No, he is at his, and don’t call him that, I don’t want Mipha upset at me and I don’t want a relationship right now,”</p>
<p>They got to work in the kitchen, cooking up some breakfast, passing plates and pans to each other like it was second nature. Before long they were sat at the table, eating away. <br/>Both their phones buzzed in unison. A message from the group chat, Zelda assumed, only to see a new name on the screen: Champions 2.0. She looked up at Impa confused, who just shrugged her shoulders in response. Zelda opened the message.</p>
<p>Urbosa:<br/>As we have all met each other, and we’ll probably be seeing each other a lot more because certain members of us family, Mipha and I thought it might be fun to set up this chat! We look forward to seeing you all again xx</p>
<p>In the contacts were the members of their other group chat, Champions, and 4 numbers she didn’t recognise. It didn’t take long for her to work out who one of them belonged too.</p>
<p>Unknown number:<br/>AWESOME! we should totes meet up again soon! I had a blast last night meeting you all! this is Sidon by the way!</p>
<p>And attached was a picture from the party. A selfie taken by Sidon, that massive grin spread across his face. Mipha’s eyes barely made it into the bottom of the frame, but her arms were waving above her head. Urbosa and Riju stood just behind them, both smiling pleasantly at the camera. Daruk had Revali, who didn’t look happy at all, in a headlock, with his other arm wrapped around the nervous looking Yunobo. Impa was winking at the camera, leaning on the shoulder of a boy Zelda didn’t see last night. He had been pulled into a tight hug by Sidon’s free arm, so he looked squished and uncomfortable, but Zelda couldn’t deny, even in his compromised position, he was quite handsome. Sandy hair pulled back into a ponytail, a smile that screamed confidence, but hid a trace of trepidation. She assumed this must be Link.</p>
<p>“To be fair, I can see why you were into him,” Zelda giggled, trying to catch a peak of Impa’s red cheeks. Much to her dismay, Impa was showing no embarrassment. In fact, there was almost pride in her eyes as she looked down at the photo.</p>
<p>“You should see him with his top off,”</p>
<p>Water sprayed out of Zelda’s nose. Choking, she looked up at Impa, who was trying to hide giggles, alarmed at her friends sudden confidence.</p>
<p>“Don’t make those jokes around Mipha, who knows how that will end,” she spluttered.</p>
<p>Impa looked down at her food, pushing it around her plate with her fork. “Yeah, you’re probably right about that,”</p>
<p>A moment of silence fell between them. Zelda didn’t think it was uncomfortable, certainly not as uncomfortable as it could have been, but it wasn’t the easy silence they usually fell into. Impa seemed to have also noticed this.</p>
<p>“What are you plans for the day?”</p>
<p>“Oh, I was just going to read probably,” Zelda smiled up at Impa, who’s face fell a little, “I need to at least make it look like Purah and I did something this morning, otherwise I just bailed on the party for nothing,”</p>
<p>Impa smiled and nodded. “I think I’m going to go for a jog, but other than that I have no plans for the day,” they finished their breakfasts without saying much else, and each retired to their rooms. Not to long after, Zelda heard Impa shout a farewell through her door, before heading out, and Zelda tucked herself into bed, and got on with a very hefty book.</p>
<p>The following day was similar. Impa crept into Zelda’s bed after a bad night. They stayed in there way to late. And Zelda spent the day reading, while Impa went out.</p>
<p>The following morning seemed no different. Impa and Zelda lay in bed, laughing about the strange man Impa saw yesterday, who wore a tight green suit and claimed to be a fairy, completely unaware of how late into the morning it was.</p>
<p>Both their phones buzzed in unison.</p>
<p>Sidon:<br/>Hey everyone! Mipha and I have been talking about how we should all do something soon, and we think that something like a movie night would be best! Not as messy as party, with room to be messier than a dinner! We would need someone to host though, our place is tiny and Mipha and Urbosa don’t have a TV (I was as shocked as I’m sure you all are!)</p>
<p>He followed it up with an emoji with a pleading look and watery eyes. </p>
<p>Impa and Zelda locked eyes across the table. A sly smile and twinkle in Impa’s eyes told Zelda all she needed to know exactly what she was thinking. She started to shake her head.</p>
<p>“No, we are not hosting,”</p>
<p>“Oh come on Zel, we have a TV, we have comfy coaches, and we have beds that are less than a minutes walk away, it’s perfect!”</p>
<p>Zelda continued to shake her head, but at a much slower pace. Impa was making a decent case, and she knew it.</p>
<p>“If it’s to much for you, you can excuse yourself and no one can complain, and I promise to control everyone so there is no clean up in the morning!” Impa bowed her head to the table, pressing her palms to together in prayer. </p>
<p>Zelda couldn’t help but smile. Partially because of Impa’s dedication to her friends, and partially because she looked silly in her current position.</p>
<p>“I guess we could give it a go,” Impa looked up, beaming. “But you’re making sure people don’t drink much, and if they do you are cleaning up!”</p>
<p>———</p>
<p>Cushions plumped. Snacks out. TV on. Zelda surveyed her handiwork, mentally patting herself on the back. She might be nervous, she might not like being around people at the moment, but oh did she love to organise things.</p>
<p>Speaking of organisation, where was everyone else’s? They had agreed to arrive at 7, it was almost quarter past, and no one had arrived. Impa came rushing down the stairs.</p>
<p>“Sorry, sorry, I was getting ready,”</p>
<p>“We are watching a film with friends, why would you need to get ready?”</p>
<p>Zelda looked Impa up and down. She was wearing a crop top and baggy jeans, not the most out there outfit she had ever seen her wear, but certainly more than a movie night required. Wait a second...</p>
<p>“That’s your pulling top!”</p>
<p>“What? No! I don’t.. you aren’t... Well. I think you look cute too!” Impa had turned a deep red, and started bustling around, rearranging things with no goal other than to avoid Zelda’s gaze. Zelda looked down at her dungarees, not thinking much of her outfit other than it’s comfort.</p>
<p>“Thank you,” she took a moment, “are you going to try and get with Link again?”</p>
<p>Impa spluttered, indignantly shaking her head.</p>
<p>“What, no don’t be silly. That would be... irresponsible, and dumb, and he isn’t even that hot so why would I want too?” She nervously scratched behind her ear, looking away from Zelda.</p>
<p>A car door slammed outside.</p>
<p>“Oh I guess that’s them,” Impa scurried from the living room faster than Zelda had ever seen her move. Urbosa, Mipha, Revali and Riju soon joined them in the living room.</p>
<p>“Where’s everyone else?” Zelda asked, trying to hide the annoyance that was building inside.</p>
<p>“Daruk and Yunobo are at a surprise Goron society meeting, and so won’t be joining us, and Link’s kendo training ran over, so Sidon is waiting at the gym for him and they will be over as soon as possible, they said to start without them,” Mipha said.</p>
<p>“Oh my, they aren’t coming are they?” Revali turned on Mipha, aghast. “They were simply awful the other night,”</p>
<p>“You’re only saying that because they crushed you at beer pong,” Impa laughed, The others joining in.</p>
<p>“You should have seen it Zel, the mighty Revali, beat by a couple of first years!”</p>
<p>“I was beating them until that Lonk or whatever his name is showed up! He cheated, we were all a lot more drunk than him, that’s the only reason he got so many in!”</p>
<p>Impa started imitating the sound of a crying baby. While the others might have enjoyed this, Revali did not.</p>
<p>“Well aren’t we going to start?” Revali huffed.</p>
<p>“Yeah, who has the DVD?” Zelda said, wiping her eyes and looking around.</p>
<p>Mipha slapped her forehead. “Sidon does...”</p>
<p>Urbosa let out a cruel laugh, “So lack of sense runs in the family then?”<br/>Mipha pouted up at her, while Riju and Impa joined in laughing.</p>
<p>“I guess we can eat some snacks while we wait for them?” Impa said.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Waiting for the boys wasn’t as bad as Zelda thought it might be. Urbosa loved to pick on Revali, and everyone loved to watch it. Zelda had got to know Riju a little, and they really hit it off. She was just a clever and sharp witted as Urbosa, joining in with Revali’s ribbing, and had a calm confidence that Zelda started to envy.</p>
<p>Impa and Mipha had been chatting, both looking towards the window when the other was occupied, Impa looking a little more guilty whenever she did.</p>
<p>Their pleasant conversation was interrupted by the cacophony of a motorbike engine pulling up outside. Voices followed as the engine died down.</p>
<p>“You sure this is the place,” said a voice Zelda didn’t recognise.</p>
<p>“I think so, I’ll just check,” that was Sidon’s cheery voice.</p>
<p>“You should have checked while we were driving!”</p>
<p>“I would have if you hadn’t been going so fast!”<br/>“Don’t you start! I had to make up time, the lesson ran over and then you were trying to chat up those girls!”</p>
<p>“Yeah, thanks for that by the way, I had a shot with them until you came up and started calling me ‘darling’,”</p>
<p>The unknown voice, who Zelda assumed was Link, let out a quick laugh. There was a loud smack sound, and a cry from Link.</p>
<p>“I told you stop hitting me with my kendo sword, or I’ll stop letting you hold it,”</p>
<p>“Oh man, but I feel like the Heroes from the stories when I have this, like I’ve just pulled the Master Sword out it’s stone,” a swishing could be heard, along with Sidon’s excited recreations of what he thought real swords sounded like. Then another, slightly different bang, a curse, and what Zelda assumed was the sound of Link grappling the sword away from Sidon’s grasp.</p>
<p>The street went quiet again as the buzzer for their apartment sounded.</p>
<p>As soon as they were in the room, you could tell Link had given Sidon a scalding on the way up. The large Zora was pouting, not unlike his sister had earlier, while Link was inspecting his kendo sword, making sure there was no damage sustained when Sidon had bashed it into the wall accidentally.</p>
<p>Everyone had settled onto the sofa while Sidon put the DVD on.</p>
<p>“So what are we watching?”</p>
<p>“It’s called Age of Calamity, it’s an action flick about the rise of Calamity, I heard it’s fun!” Sidon smiled.</p>
<p>Zelda was leaning against one of the arms of the chair, looking at her phone, when Revali sat next to her. Everything tensed. Why? He’s her friend, why did everything slow down? Her pulse was racing. She suddenly felt sticky, and she could feel her breathe catching...</p>
<p>“Hey, you must be Zelda, I’m Link,”</p>
<p>Zelda was jerked out of her spiral, looking up at the man stood in front of her. He didn’t raise his hand to shake hers, and he was stood a good step away from her. Had he noticed?</p>
<p>“Pfft, you aren’t sitting with us,” Revali scoffed, moving his hand like he was shooing Link away. All Link did was look a little confused.</p>
<p>“Revali, help me with this popcorn!” Impa shouted from the kitchen area. Sighing, Revali stood and walked away. Riju, bless her, sat in the vacated seat.</p>
<p>“I think your braid is really cute,” Link said, smiling. Zelda looked up at him confused, barely hearing him over the roar of pumping blood in her ears. He pointed at her head, where she had braided the front of her hair across.</p>
<p>“Oh, thank you,” oh Goddesses when did she get the awkward! Zelda cringed internally. She looked up a Link, trying to seem at least a little normal, but was taken aback by his expression.<br/>He was struggling to make eye contact, and looked almost bashful.</p>
<p>“Do you... do.. do you think you could do it with my hair?” Link timidly risked a glance at Zelda.</p>
<p>“Ye-yeah, sure,” Zelda stammered. What was going on? The new boy that had won everyone’s adoration, wanted a braid during their movie night?</p>
<p>“Where do you want me?” He said, looking around.</p>
<p>“Just sit in front of me,” and he did. He plopped down, crossing his legs, and leaned his head onto the couch. And as the movie started, Zelda slowly got to work.</p>
<p>It was no where near as bad as she thought it would be. Both the movie and braid in Link’s hair. She was hesitant to touch it at first, cringing away the first few times she tried too, but Link never so much as looked up to see what she was doing. And, as she slowing started overlapping strands of hair, she began to calm. The roaring quieted. The nerves slowed. It was almost peaceful. </p>
<p>The only moment of panic was when she was uncomfortable leaning around his head so she had asked him to reposition slightly, so she could cross her legs on the sofa and he was sat with his head positioned between her knees. What she hadn’t accounted for was her leg brushing up against him so much. Her whole body had stiffened, and the roaring started to build. But, if Link had noticed anything, he hadn’t reacted. He allowed her to reposition, and start up braiding at her pace, and once again, as she began the nerves and the swirling inside started to subside.</p>
<p>Once she had finished, Link proudly looked at it in his phone camera, taking a couple of selfies with it before settling down for the rest of the film. It was quite good actually, a bit over the top in places, but the characters were cool, most of them being based on the historic name sakes of the people sat in the room watching. Zelda had been the most relaxed around anyone, other than Impa, than she had been in a long time.</p>
<p>She was pulled out of this when she heard Riju giggling next to her. Nothing funny had happened in film, actually it was quite a dramatic moment. The princess and her knight were attempting to feel, the knight graciously wounded. Zelda looked at her questioningly, and Riju pointed at Link. He had fallen asleep. The part, however, that shocked Zelda the most, was that his head had drooped back onto her crossed legs, and that, even after finishing the braid a while ago, her hands were still working their way through his hair. She wasn’t doing anything to it, just gently running the soft locks between her fingers. Not just that, but neither of these things seemed to bother her, not the lightly pressure were Link’s head rested or that she had been playing with his hair.</p>
<p>She stopped and pulled her hands away when Riju stopped her.</p>
<p>“Wait,” she hissed, only audible to Zelda over the film, “keep doing it, Link has really bad insomnia, I haven’t seen him sleep so peacefully,”</p>
<p>Zelda nodded, and continued working her hands through his hair, as he lay, mouth slightly open, dead to the world.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey all, please let me know what you think!</p>
<p>I could have gone a bit longer, but I felt like the chapter was long enough. Let me know if you want longer or shorter chapters, sometimes I get carried away and need to know when to reign it in.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Terrako</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>As a warning, this chapter has mentions of past abuse and r*pe. I hate to spoil any plot but I’d rather that then risk someone reading something they don’t want to. Other than that, please try to enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The movie had ended a couple of hours ago, but people were still crowded around the small coffee table in the middle of the room. Impa had grabbed a couple of games, and they had been playing them excitedly, the gentle hum of music playing on the TV.</p><p>Zelda had excitedly won the first game of cards, deciding that if she stopped now, technically no one would be able to beat her, so she would be the unbeaten champion by the end of the night. She watched as they played a couple more rounds, then swapped games when Revali threw a tantrum after losing again.</p><p>This continued on for the majority of the night. They’d play a game, Revali would lose every round, get upset and they would move onto the next game, usually laughing at his expense.</p><p>Zelda only joined in on games where she wouldn’t need to lean over the table, or move to much, because she still had Link asleep on her legs. When everyone had noticed this, Revali and Urbosa instantly went into mocking mode. Nothing hurtful, but they certainly weren’t going to let him not be embarrassed about this.</p><p>Sidon seemed to be in the same camp as Riju, bringing up Link’s late hour shifts, early morning work outs, and bad cases of insomnia. Mipha seemed to be eyeing Zelda jealously, but thought it was nice that he felt so comfortable around them all. Impa made no comment.</p><p>When he did finally wake up, much to Revali’s annoyance, Link wasn’t embarrassed. He brought a new energy to the games, making up for the rounds he missed.</p><p>Soon after 1am, Zelda decided it was definitely time for bed. She was, however, alone is this thought. Everyone else was still full of energy, wanting to play some more, and when Sidon found Impa’s beers, there was no negotiating.</p><p>Leaving them to it, she wished them a goodnight and closed her bedroom door.</p><p>They were good to their word. They didn’t make to much noise, maybe the occasional shout when there was a good game, but not enough to disturb Zelda. </p><p>To the lullaby of her excited friends, she drifted into a deep sleep.</p><p>———</p><p>Early morning light burst through the partially open curtains, just above the bed. Impa slowly managed to open her eyes, sleep still trying to keep her. She looked up at the topless boy sat up in the bed next to her.</p><p>“Good morning!”</p><p>“Good morning, how are you this awake after such a late night?” Impa groaned, stifling a yawn and rubbing her eyes.</p><p>“I got in a good power nap,” Link smiled, “and I’m usually up at this time,”</p><p>“Freak,” Impa pulled the covers over her head, trying to block out the sun.</p><p>“Hey, is Zelda a morning person?”</p><p>Impa popped her head back out, looking up at Link suspiciously. </p><p>“Not recently, why?”</p><p>“I gotta pee, but I don’t know where we threw my t-shirt,” Link looked down at Impa worried, “I don’t want to scare her, a random half-naked man wondering around her place? I’d never be aloud back!”</p><p>Impa couldn’t hold back her laugh. “No need to worry, she won’t be up for a while, you can go piss!”</p><p>And so, Link rushed out the room, carful not to disturb Zelda as he passed her room.</p><p> </p><p>Any other morning, Impa probably would have been right. Zelda would have still been asleep. But not this morning.<br/>No, Zelda had woken early, and was surprisingly well rested. She lay in bed, looking over her room, smiling. <br/>She had lasted the whole night! No dreams, no scares, no need for Impa to join her. For the first time in two months, she had had a good, full night’s sleep!<br/>She had to tell Impa! She could sneak into Impa’s bed like Impa would hers! Oh this was going to be perfect.</p><p>Taking extra care to make no noise when she opened and closed her door, Zelda turned around and screamed.</p><p>Link was stood across the room, a look of equal panic etched onto his face, in just his boxer shorts.</p><p>“I’m sorry!” he shouted, before turning and diving back into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him.</p><p>Zelda didn’t react when Impa came crashing out her room, scared by the screaming.</p><p>“Hey, Zel, what happened? Are you ok? Why did you scream?”</p><p>Zelda didn’t respond for a second, still a little shook up, before managing; “I see what you mean about him with his top off,”</p><p>Impa stared at her for a second, utter confusion on her face, before they both burst out laughing.</p><p>“I should go get his t-shirt, so he can come out and face you,” Impa giggled, returning to her room.</p><p>Zelda was still giggling when she returned, and, after a little coaxing, they had got Link out of the bathroom and into his t-shirt. It was only when he was clothed that Zelda noticed something else a little astonishing. He still had her braid in.</p><p>“You still have...” she said without thinking, pointing up at it. </p><p>“Of course I do,” he laughed, “I told you yesterday, it’s cute, don’t you think I cute too!”</p><p>He stuck his tongue out, and did a very over the top pose, framing his face like someone was taking a photo of him.</p><p>Impa laughed, grabbing his hand. “Right, let’s see if we can’t find the rest of your clothes,”</p><p>As she dragged him back to her room, Zelda called out “Can you two be quiet for round 2? I’m awake this time!” earning herself a middle finger from Impa.</p><p>Zelda giggled to herself while preparing breakfast.</p><p> </p><p>“Why did you want the braid?”</p><p>They had been looking for Link’s other sock for a while now, mostly in silence, when one chance glance over to him had raised the question in Impa’s mind.</p><p>“Was it really because you thought it was that cute?”</p><p>“No, not really,” Link didn’t look up from his search, but his face had seemed to change, looking serious for a moment. “I noticed that when Revali sat next to her she stiffened up. I thought she could do with a distraction, and I’ve always found working with my hands calming,”</p><p>He looked up and winked at Impa. “And I know my hair is super soft,”</p><p>She threw the lost sock at him, aiming for, and successfully hitting, his face. Once he was dressed, they left her room again.</p><p>“Are you staying for breakfast?”</p><p>“No, I’ve got something soon, so I need to get home and clean up,”</p><p>And with a smile and a wave, Link was out the door and gone.</p><p>As soon as the latch had shut, Zelda turned on Impa.</p><p>“Ithoughttherewasnosparkhmm?Areyoudating?Isheyourboyfriend?HowoftenamIgoingtofindhimtoplesshereImpa?Youshouldreallycontrolyourboyfriendmore.Why’dhestillhavethebraid?OhmyNayrudidhehaveitinwhenyoufucked?Ewthatfeelsgro...”</p><p>Her waterfall of words was only halted when Impa stuffed one of the pancakes she’d made into Zelda’s mouth.</p><p>“You are gonna have to give me that again, I didn’t catch any of it,”</p><p>They spent the rest of the morning going over the events of the previous night. How people had started to peel off after Zelda had left, until it was just Sidon, Riju, Link and Impa, and how their drinking had got a little more intense. After a couple for games, Sidon and Riju headed off while Impa made the moves on Link.</p><p>“It’s really not that interesting of a story,” Impa sighed, “and no, we aren’t together and we aren’t getting together. It’s just convenient, okay,”</p><p> “Do you think he’ll be wondering around here in his boxers again anytime soon?”</p><p>“Why? You want another look?” Impa winked at her, “No, with classes starting up next week I doubt we’ll have many chances to hang out with everyone other than weekends, and I think people want to start hitting clubs up, and I’m not going if you aren’t,”</p><p>They sat in silence for a second. Zelda was gripping the table a little too tight, slowly shaking her head.</p><p>“No, I don’t think I’m ready for that yet...”</p><p>Impa took her hand, rubbing her thumb slowly along the knuckles.<br/>“It’s fine, as I said, we’ll go at your pace,”</p><p>They sat in their steady silence for a while, making their way through breakfast when Zelda suddenly remembered.</p><p>“Impa! I completely forgot! I slept through the whole night, no nightmares or anything!”</p><p>Impa’s face lit up. Her grin was the widest Zelda had ever seen it, and she swore she could almost her eyes become a little wet.</p><p>“Oh Goddesses Zel, I’m so proud of you!” Impa jumped around the table and tackled Zelda in a bear hug. “Was anything different? Like do you think something helped, or are you just getting better?”</p><p>“I don’t know, but I’m optimistic about what these means!”</p><p>———</p><p>The next couple of weeks passed as Impa had predicted. As classes started up, everyone’s free time went down astronomically. What had been a breeze in first year was now a pain, the lecturers were now a lot more demanding, and the books had doubled in size.</p><p>They still managed to see their friends, but sparingly, and never all at once. They saw the original Champions the most, what with them knowing each other longer, but hardly ever as a full group.<br/> Sometimes Revali was too busy with archery practice. Often Daruk had to do extra work or help with the Goron society. Mipha was often needed to help at the local hospital. And Urbosa didn’t give her reasons, she just wouldn’t show up if she couldn’t make it.</p><p>Riju and Sidon would sometimes tag along with their relatives, especially if there was the prospect of drinking, but most times their would just be one of them at an event. Yunobo was a much rarer sight, being a very timid person, only appearing when dragged out by either Sidon or Riju.</p><p>They hadn’t seen Link since the morning after the movie night.</p><p>According to Sidon, they had increased his number of shifts at work, and he had joined both a martial arts and rock climbing club. Like he didn’t already have no free time.</p><p>Finally, a full month after they had previously all met up, they arranged another movie night.</p><p>That was, until an hour before they got a message from Link saying he would have to pick up a shift, so wouldn’t be able to come until later in the evening. Agreeing that he would just have to miss the movie and arrive fashionably late, everyone else started to file into Impa and Zelda’s place.</p><p>The film Sidon had brought this time was based on the Era of Twilight, and apparently had rave reviews. They all settled around the sofa, this time making room for the two Gorons who weren’t present last time.</p><p>Zelda, much to her discomfort, had ended up next to Revali. She liked Revali. He was a loyal friend. She shouldn’t feel so jittery right now.</p><p>She put her hands together to try and stop them shaking. She had to concentrate on her leg to stop it from bouncing. She could hear her pulse as her heart hammered in her chest. She had to remember to breath at a normal rate, not to shallow, not to deep, not to quick.</p><p>It’s fine. It’s just Revali, he’s completely harmless.</p><p>“Hey, can you stop fidgeting?”</p><p>Revali had whispered to her to avoid talking over the film. A fine and reasonable thing to do. But he had leaned close to do it. The proximity shift had pressed more of him against her, and she had felt is breath on her neck as he spoke.</p><p>She couldn’t take it.</p><p>She sprang from the sofa without a thought, desperate to escape, to be anywhere other than trapped in someone’s grasp. She needed to get away. She needed to find somewhere to calm her heart, and her breathing, and to wash the sweat from her palms and forehead.</p><p>She was so lost she didn’t notice the uproar that had started behind her.<br/>Her sudden jump had caught everyone’s attention. And it had certainly offended Revali.</p><p>“Oh, so now you can’t even sit next to us for too long? Seems about right. Should we start calling you Princess now?”</p><p>Zelda didn’t react, but Impa had jumped in to defend her.</p><p>“Fuck off Revali, she’s just not feeling ok today alright, leave her alone! Hey Zel, head to bed, I’ll check in on you in a little bit,”</p><p>Zelda went to take a step towards her room when she felt a hand tighten around her wrist.</p><p>“Oh no, we are sorting this out, ever since we’ve been back she has been distant. She hasn’t even touched us, when she was all hugs last year, and I for one want to know why! I know the rest of you want to know as well, why is it that Princess Zelda is now to good for us unworthy peasants,”</p><p>Zelda didn’t have the strength to pull away. All she could feel was the wretched vice around her wrist, squeezing and confining. She couldn’t hold back the tears that began to stream and the sobs caught in her throat. Her heart was fit to burst from her chest, and she had forgotten how to breath. </p><p>SLAP.</p><p>The sound of skin on skin and the release of the hand brought Zelda back to reality. She turned and saw Revali a couple steps back, clutching a large red welt forming on his cheek, and Impa stood tall in front of her, arm raised high and palm open. Zelda could only see half of Impa’s face, but even just that held a cold fury Zelda had never seen before.</p><p>For the first time, in that moment, she was scared of Impa.</p><p>Her next words weren’t a shout, but they held a venom so much more deadly.</p><p>“I’m warning you Revali, stop this, now.”</p><p>“Why? Why are you protecting her?”</p><p>And the dam broke. Impa screamed.</p><p>“You fucking idiot! She was fucking raped!”</p><p> </p><p>The room was silent. Everyone shared a look of shock and terror. Impa turned to Zelda, her lips trembling, an apology halfway out her mouth, only to find an empty corridor, and an open front door.</p><p>———</p><p>Zelda ran.</p><p>She didn’t know where she was going, and she didn’t care.</p><p>She just needed to get away.</p><p>She knew Impa couldn’t keep it in any longer, and she didn’t want to be there when they all found out. She didn’t want their pity.</p><p>So, she ran.</p><p>It took her a couple minutes to realise it was raining. It took her a little longer to realise she was lost. After stopping and breathing, and the adrenaline was washed away by the rain, she realised, quite painfully, she hadn’t put shoes on.</p><p>She began traipsing along in her sodden socks, hoping to find somewhere familiar.</p><p>She was in a part of town she hadn’t visited before. She was flanked on both sides by cheap looking restaurants. Her father had always taken her to the fancy places on his visits, and her friends had always gone to a similar area.</p><p>It was quiet around, the rain keeping people off the streets, while the insides of the restaurants seemed to have a steady trade.</p><p>“Hey, what are you doing out here in the rain?”</p><p>She turned to the voice. The familiar voice.</p><p>In an alley next to one of the restaurants, framed in the light spilling from an open door, stood Link.</p><p>Starting to sob again, Zelda took a couple of steps towards him, when she realised he wasn’t talking to her. </p><p>He had bent down and had started to pet a beaten up, white cat. He seemed completely lost to the world, taken in by the cat. The cat however, seemed very interested in Zelda.</p><p>It burst from Link’s hands, bounded up to Zelda and started to rub itself against her soaking leg. Shocked, she stood still, staring down at it.</p><p>“Hey, what are you doing out here in the rain?”</p><p>The same sentence, but said in a completely different way. To the cat, it had sounded expected, like the cat always came around at this time, rain or not, and Link was delighted to see them. Now, it sounded almost distraught. He ran from the alley, pulling off the white uniform he was wearing, and lifted it above Zelda in a hopeless attempt to protect her from the onslaught of rain.</p><p>“Come with me quick,”</p><p>She followed him mindlessly, not really sure of why she was going with him.</p><p>He brought her inside, and grabbed a towel to wrap around her. He then left her sat on a chair in the back room, slowly stroking the cat that had jumped into her lap.</p><p>“Right, the boss says you can stay back here until the end of my shift, I finish soon so it shouldn’t be too long,” Link knelt down in front of her, “what the fuck were you doing out there Zel? It’s chucking it down. Aren’t you supposed to be watching a movie?” </p><p>She took a second to process his words, and couldn’t find an appropriate response. Maybe a joke?</p><p>“Wasn’t very good,”</p><p>“One: that’s a lie, it’s an excellent film. And two: it’s fine if something happened you don’t want to talk about, as I say, you just sit tight here until the end of my shift, ok? Do you want a drink or anything? Tea, coffee? Something to warm you up?”</p><p>“Tea please,”</p><p>“Ok, one tea coming up,” Link stood and stretched, “oh, and keep Terrako hidden, I got permission for you to be here, not him as well,”<br/>“Terrako?”</p><p>“Yeah, it’s what I call the cat. I named him after the little egg-looking fucker in the Calamity movie, remember? Cuz he’s white and only got three legs,”</p><p>Zelda looked down at the sleeping cat wrapped up in the towel, and was shocked to see the lack of a fourth appendage. Wow, she must have been really out of it when she first saw the cat. She began to absentmindedly stroke it, being careful to keep it hidden.  </p><p>Link soon returned with a mug of tea, a jug of milk and some sugar sachets.</p><p>“I didn’t know how you took it,”</p><p>“It’s fine, thank you,”</p><p>“Shouldn’t be more than half an hour now, and we can head off. Anything else I can get you?”</p><p>Zelda looked up at him an smiled. He looked so calm, she found herself beginning to calm.</p><p>“I don’t suppose you have a spare pair of shoes?”</p><p>———</p><p>She was stood outside her front door.</p><p>She was still damp, was holding Terrako wrapped in the towel and wearing a pair of Link’s oversized trainers.</p><p>She was not looking forward to reception she was likely to receive when she reentered.</p><p>She had hoped Link would enter with her. He had been a rock this evening, making regular check ups until the end of his shift before walking her back to her building, holding an umbrella above their heads. He didn’t have a spare pair of shoes, so he had given her his, saying that he’d take them back when they got to Zelda’s, but both of them had forgot.</p><p>He had gone back to his, saying he needed to wash and change after working but he would come back as soon as possible. They had got distracted as they spoke while walking. Link had worn a t-shirt under his uniform decorated with a drawing of a blupee, which had led to the length discussion of their love for blupees, Link claiming to have seen a couple and Zelda adamantly denying that, citing one of her books that said blupees hadn’t been seen since a much more rural era of Hyrule.</p><p>She had forgotten the nightmare that awaited her in her apartment.</p><p>Steeling herself, she knocked on the door.</p><p>The murmurs of conversations inside died, and the falls of footsteps replaced them. A second of silence, and then the door burst open. A teary-eyed Impa leapt from the doorway, wrapping her arms around Zelda and sobbed into her shoulder. What sounded like attempts at apologise barely escaped in between heavy breaths.</p><p>“Hey now, shh,” Zelda cooed, rubbing Impa’s back with her free hand, “let’s get inside, and be careful of Terrako,”</p><p>Impa stepped back, looking at her confused, “Terrako?”</p><p>Zelda grinned, peeling back the towel, revealing the sleeping cat.</p><p>Impa shook her head and rolled her eyes, “I’m not even going to ask,”</p><p>They stepped inside. Everyone was still sat around the table, all with a combination of pity and sorrow on their faces. Except Revali, who was looking away from Zelda, his face was covered in pure shame.</p><p>“Hi, guys,” Zelda managed, “I guess I have some stuff to tell you,”</p><p>She sat down, getting Terrako comfy on her lap.</p><p>“This is what happened over the summer break,”</p><p>She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and opened them again, looking down at Terrako, using him as an anchor point to reality.</p><p>“Back home, in Castletown, a couple of months ago, I met a boy. His name was.. was G- was Ganon. He seemed really nice. He was polite, and kind, and made jokes. Everyone that met him loved him. And I felt special because out of all these girls that loved him, he picked me. So we.. we started going on dates, and it all seemed great, you know? It was great. But then there was a time I was late, only like five minutes, but he got angry. Like, really angry, he shout and screamed at me before we went out, and then when we were out, he was dismissive. He made everything out to be my fault, and I.. I believed him. It had to be my fault. And then he started to dictate what I could and couldn’t do. If I wanted to see friends, he had to be there, and it couldn’t really be my friends, it’s was almost always his. And then, one night after a party, we he got super drunk, he.. he wanted to do stuff, and.. and I didn’t want to, but he didn’t care and he.. he..”</p><p>Zelda began to hiccup, the tears starting to roll down her face. She looked up for the first time when she felt a tentative hand on her arm. Impa was knelt to her right, looking for permission to comfort her. To her left, Urbosa and Mipha had moved closer, arms raised ready to support her when they had been allowed.</p><p>She reached out to them, welcoming their embraces. Her body racked with sobs as her friends enveloped her.</p><p>“This went on for ages, and her only got worse, and I didn’t think I could say anything because he was so loved. How could someone so loved and respected be this bad? It had to be me, I had to be the reason why he is like this to me. I had to be better. And I would have never broken his spell if it hadn’t been for one day, when he dragged me to his and thrown me a bit to hard and I.. I cut myself on something and yelled out. Someone knocked on the door and he went to answer and I sat there waiting.. waiting for him to come back. But he didn’t. Police did. He’d got into a fight and police had been called. He’d been taken away. I was free,”</p><p>———</p><p>They had spent the next half an hour trying to vocalise their apologise and their condolences, trying to put into words how they couldn’t comprehend her pain, but Zelda wasn’t listening.</p><p>She felt like a weight had been taken off her back. Not a very heavy one, but there was certainly a noticeable difference.</p><p>“Guys, guys. It’s fine, I am going to get through this, you know me,” Zelda shouted over the current wave of sorry’s, “ I’m just a little fragile at the moment, so give me a little time, ok?”</p><p>The room resounded with a tentative murmur of agreement.</p><p>“Excellent, now who wants to watch the film?”</p><p>“Me please!” A muffled voice called from the window.</p><p>Impa stood and pulled back the curtain.</p><p>Link had his face pressed up against the window, his mouth contorted in the stupidest way possible. Sidon, Riju, Yunobo and Zelda roared with laughter as Impa let him in. <br/>Once in the living room he lifted a bag up.</p><p>“I brought snacks!”</p><p> </p><p>Link’s presence seemed to bring a normality back to them. He’s upbeat attitude, and ignorance to the weight of the previous few minutes eased everyone a little. The snacks helped too.</p><p>They were all soon sat around the TV, snacks laid out on the table, the film playing again.<br/>The girls had surrounded Zelda, the earlier discussion clearly leaving them all very protective of her. She didn’t mind. She felt very safe wrapped in two blankets, a Gerudo warrior on one side, a Sheikah badass on the other. And, most importantly, a three-legged cat on her lap.</p><p>She suddenly had a funny thought.</p><p>“Hey, Link,” she hissed, nudging him with her foot. He looked up from his place on the floor near Sidon.</p><p>“Yeah?”</p><p>“You want a braid again?”</p><p>“Oh absolutely,”</p><p>“Well then, get over here!”</p><p>He shuffled his way over, carefully easing himself within reach of her, making sure not to disturb Terrako. This time, however, Zelda pulled his head back a bit, so that he was sandwiched between her dangling legs, and got to work on the braid. The cat, deciding that this was no longer the comfiest place in the room, relocated to Link’s lap, allowing him and Zelda to relax further, and make the braiding process easier.</p><p>They sat in silence, the film drowning out the anxieties of the evening, wondering if the Hero of Twilight really did turn into a wolf.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I was going to cut it earlier, but I wanted to cover this whole interaction in one chapter. Please let me know what you think. I feel I could have written it better, but I’m sure that’s how all writers feel about everything.<br/>Let me know if you think I need to add any tags or warnings now that the subjects have been brought up, I want to make sure anyone who reads this isn’t going to have a bad time.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Library</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Zelda was falling.</p><p>Or rather she had felt like she was falling for an instant. She started awake, narrowly avoiding slapping herself with the hand she had just been resting her chin on. Quickly checking around to make sure no one had noticed her slip, she turned back to her laptop in the hopes of finding where she was before she nodded off.</p><p>It was the graveyard shift at the library. After 11pm and before 6am, the library was practically silent. Well. If you ignored the blaring music from the club across the road. Ironically, the club being so loud was usually why the library was so quiet; everyone had left one and gone to the other. This was also Zelda’s favourite time to work.</p><p>Her reasons were threefold: 1. It’s empty and quiet, so you can concentrate on your work, 2. You can go to the toilet without worrying that your laptop will be stolen, and 3. Arguably the most important reason, Zelda’s favourite table was always available.<br/>She had found it a couple of months into her first year. A small table on the second floor, pressed up against the large window that made up the front of the building, that overlooked the courtyard between the library and the club. And this was the main reason. You get bored of working, you get to drunk people watch, and when that gets boring, or weird as it often did, you could go back to working.</p><p>Clearly her work had been boring, otherwise she wouldn’t have fallen asleep, so she looked out the window. It was an alternate rock night tonight, and people were looking the part. Everyone had taken it as an excuse to step back into their angsty pre-teen days, wearing all black, caking on eye-shadow and head-banging to any and every guitar riff they heard.<br/>In the build up to leaving, she had to help Impa with several costume changes. And then she got photos from Mipha and Urbosa, and had to help them with serval costume changes too. And when she was finally settled at her small alcove in library, she got a group photo from the pre-drinks house party, everyone going overboard with the theme. Only people not attending were Zelda, as she still wasn’t ready for clubs, and Link, because he was working.</p><p>She had watched them join the queue an hour ago, and sent Impa a photo of them from high above, attaching a creepy stalker style message. They had all turned and, very loudly and very publicly, screamed and waved up at her. While she didn’t like the attention necessarily, she couldn’t stop her heart swelling just a little bit.</p><p>Right now, the queue was empty, but the smoking area was full. About 30 individuals packed behind a small steel fence, some looking very happy, some looking very miserable, all looking very drunk. She had hoped to catch sight of a couple of her friends during the night, but as none of them smoked, they didn’t go outside much.</p><p>Zelda was worried about tonight, and, thankfully, not for herself this time. A couple weeks ago, not long after the most recent movie night incident, at one of the rare get togethers that everyone had managed to attend, Riju made a joke about Link and Impa. Completely harmless. Nothing rude or hurtful, and everyone laughed it off. But that was how Mipha had found out about their... extra cuticular activities. And, in a classic Mipha fashion, she hadn’t got angry, she hadn’t said anything, but it was very obvious from her actions that she was unhappy with the situation. She had limited her interactions with Link, which, bless him, was very confusing for him, given that he knew nothing about her feelings, and she found almost any and every reason to ignore Impa.</p><p>Impa had trapped her two nights ago, and the contents of their conversation were only known by those two, and Zelda was hoping nothing would come up when they had all got drunk. It seemed so far so good though. They had been smiling and laughing next to each other in the queue, and Zelda had spotted them snapping a selfie. She just hoped it wasn’t all for show. She didn’t need anymore problems in her life caused by a fucking boy.</p><p>She turned back to her work. Skimming through the first couple of paragraphs of her essay, she could already feel her eyes start to grow heavy. She may love the subject of Biology, but this module was not interesting her.</p><p>She was pulled from her thoughts when the chair in front of her was dragged back and Link threw himself down into it, huffing out a deep sigh.</p><p>“Erm, hi...” First thing Zelda noticed was how exhausted Link looked. He had deep bags under his eyes, and his hair was unkept. After the initial shock wore off, she realised how irresistible he was being. He had just worked a massive shift, and had got up early for his training, and now, at 1am, he was at the library!</p><p>“Why are you here? You should be going to bed,”</p><p>“Sorry mum, but I have an essay that needs doing to Monday, and I’ve got more shifts over the weekend, so I really need to get some of it done. Anyway,”  he flashed her a grin, reaching to get his laptop out his bag, “I’m not that tired and the company’s good,”</p><p>“How did you know I was here?”</p><p>“I didn’t, I saw you in the window as I came in. Nice job catching yourself earlier, by the way, maybe you should be the one considering going to bed?”</p><p>Zelda sneered at him, unable to think of a good retort. On the inside she was dying of embarrassment, but she couldn’t let him see that.</p><p>They didn’t speak for a while afterwards. While Zelda wanted Link to look after himself, getting a good eight hours sleep would be a start, she did appreciate his presence. Having someone with her forces her to stay awake. She managed to get a little bit more of her work done before feeling the boredom creep up on her again.</p><p>“Nice laptop case,”</p><p>She looked up at Link, who’s eyes were still on his own work. Her case had a decal of the triforce that glowed when her laptop was on.</p><p>“Thanks. I know it’s all just stupid kids stories, but I do love the ancient legends,”</p><p>“You think they are all just kids stories?” </p><p>Zelda could stop herself from giggling.</p><p>“Of course they are,” but one look at Link’s face told her that he clearly didn’t agree. While he had an amused smile, his eyes screamed he believed the legends.</p><p>“Come off it. Magic and reincarnated heroes? Really? They are tales designed to teach kids good and evil, and maybe so parents can threaten a naughty child with a Moblin in the night. They are all just nonsense. Next you’ll tell me you believe in Koroks and Blupees,”</p><p>“You said you like Blupees!”</p><p>“They’re cute! Doesn’t mean they are real, just means whoever designed them is genius,”</p><p>Zelda rolled her eyes and looked back her work. Man child. Link, however, was still giving her the amused smile. He reached down for his bag, and rooted around in it for a second.</p><p>“Catch,”</p><p>Zelda barely had time to react before a small, golden object was thrown to her. She barely, and quite ungracefully, got her hands around it. It was small, not even filling the whole of her palm, and looked like a golden pile of poo.</p><p>“Why am I holding a toy pile of shit?”</p><p>“It’s not a toy,”</p><p>Zelda threw it as hard and fast as she could back at Link, desperately wiping her hands. Link was in hysterics, clutching his chest and ignoring the red mark the discarded shit had left on his forehead.</p><p>Finally pulling himself together, he added, “It’s also not shit,”</p><p>“Well what is it then?” Zelda huffed, glaring daggers across the table.</p><p>“It’s a Korok seed,”</p><p>They stared at each other, Zelda waiting for further explanation, Link not thinking one was necessary. When she determined he wasn’t going to elaborate, she asked “So what’s that then?”</p><p>“I don’t really know, they just gave it to me,”</p><p>“Who did?”</p><p>“The Korok,”</p><p>They stared at each other again. This time Zelda’s mouth fell just a little.</p><p>“Wait. What? Like an actual Korok? You aren’t shitting me right now are you? Because if this is all just an elaborate joke I am not going to be happy. Link. Look me in the eye, are you being absolutely honest?”</p><p>“Yes,”</p><p>“WHAT?” Zelda almost jumped out of her chair, her eyes the widest they had been all night, and what felt like the biggest grin of her life pulling at her lips.</p><p>“Alright, calm it down, we’re in a library,”</p><p>“How? When? No one has seen a Korok for at least 100 years, they’re just stories,”</p><p>Link held up a hand, signalling for her to stop.</p><p>“Sometime last year, I was exploring some of the fields in Central Hyrule, the areas not often gone to, you know? And while out there I saw a rock on top of a hill and wondered if I could climb up and see why it was there. I get up to the top and see, at the bottom of the hill, there is a hole, and, as childish as I know it is, I just wanted to see if I could get the rock in the hole, so I pushed it. It went in, and as I was congratulating myself, poof, this little fucking appears next to me and screams in this high pitched voice ‘well done, you found me, here’s my Korok seed,’ then pissed off,”</p><p>Zelda’s smile had slowly fallen. “That is one of the dullest stories I’ve ever heard. It’s the first Korok sighting in a century, and it was because you threw a rock in a hole? You sure you weren’t in the hills and ate a mushroom you shouldn’t have?” </p><p>Zelda looked back down at her work, shaking her head. Why was she disappointed? She knew Koroks weren’t real. Why had she raised her hopes? Was it because she trusted Link?</p><p>“You’re a hard one to please aren’t you?” Link chuckled, who had begun to scroll through his phone, “well, let’s see if you can try and disprove this,”</p><p>He span the phone around and showed Zelda his screen. It was a selfie. Link lay on the floor, a look of giddy joy on his face. But Zelda wasn’t interested in that. On his chest, just below his next, lay a blue rabbit. A glowing, very fluffy, with what looked like an owl’s face and yellow leaves instead of ears. <br/>“I didn’t get a chance to take a photo of the Korok because it disappeared and didn’t come back, but this guy was there almost every time I visited, and I got him to trust me,” Link said, but Zelda wasn’t really paying attention.</p><p>“That’s a...” she couldn’t form the words.</p><p>“A Blupee, yes,”</p><p>Zelda fell back in her seat, her usually erratic and constant mind quieted. Link had found a Blupee. Not just that, he had got it to sleep on his chest. And he had found a Korok. THE LUCKY FUCKER!</p><p>“Can I see it?”</p><p>Link laughed again. “It would have to be at a time where my schedule is open, and the weather is good, but I can take you there,”</p><p>Zelda couldn’t contain herself. She smiled and laughed and threw her arms around. She almost got up and danced. She reached across and grabbed Link’s hands.</p><p>“Thankyouthankyouthankyou, this is so amazing, people won’t believe this. Oh my Goddesses it’s going to be...” Zelda stopped, looking down at Link’s hands. She was struck by two things, the first being the reason she had initially stopped talking; Link’s hands were red, and the area around the knuckles were chaffed and scabby, the second, and much more important to her in that moment; she was holding his hands. She had grabbed them without thinking, and now that she was fully aware of it, she wasn’t scared. She didn’t feel anything negative.</p><p>“Is everything ok?” Of course. Link wasn’t there when she had her outburst or confessed. He didn’t know. Well, no time like the present she guessed...</p><p>“What have you done to your hands?” </p><p>She couldn’t do it. She couldn’t take them from such a high down to that low. She couldn’t be a burden for another person. Better to let him remain ignorant for now.</p><p>“Oh, don’t worry about them, I was on washing up duty at work, and all that water over time dries up your hands, they’re fine,” Link spoke just a little to quickly for Zelda’s liking.</p><p>“Hey, I’ve just thought, are you going to Midna’s party next week?” Link, again a little too quickly, followed up, removing his hands from Zelda’s grasp. She took a moment, not liking the cold emptiness that had replaced the space his hands had been.</p><p>“I wasn’t sure, I’m not really good with crowds at the moment,”</p><p>“It should be fine, it’s Midna! If she’s invited someone, you they are gonna be alright,” his grin was infections. Zelda couldn’t help the corners of her mouth twitching up.</p><p>“Maybe I’ll make an appearance, you know, to boost morale,” she liked it when Link smiled, and to see it broaden at her joke, well she loved that. “What are you dressing as?”</p><p>Midna loved fancy-dress. Every single party she has hosted has been fancy-dress. Sometimes it was themed, like the dreaded Sealing-night where, instead of wearing the traditional Hero’s costume, everyone arrived in blue or green t-shirts, leaving Midna as the only one with a hat or sword. Zelda had come out of the night relatively unscathed, while others had felt the full wrath of a drunk Midna with a plastic sword.</p><p>“I can’t tell you, I am sorry. I have been sworn to secrecy by Riju, and she would surely kill me if I broke my vow,” Link said, clearly playing up the drama. His concentrated act cracked, a snigger escaping as the goofy grin stretched across his face again. “Anyway, what are you going as?”</p><p>“I don’t know, as I say, I wasn’t really planning on going. If I do go I’m sure I can pull something together,” </p><p>“Well, you should go, I’ve managed to book the full evening of work, and the next morning, so I can have a proper fun night, and I want everyone there,” Link was grinning again, Zelda couldn’t stop herself again.</p><p>“I’ll see what I can do,” she giggled.</p><p>Link’ phone vibrated on the table, followed quickly by Zelda’s own. Picking it up, she found a message from Impa:</p><p>Heeyyiuh wevgoibg for foooood wantaome </p><p>Only with years of deciphering drunk texts from Impa could Zelda determine that she was being invited to the post night out fast food fest. And only after the mention of food, did she realise how hungry she was. She heard Link laugh under his breath as he typed out a reply to his message, before turning to the window and waving out to the courtyard.</p><p>Following his eyes, Zelda found their friends waving up at them, most struggling to stay up right.</p><p>“Did you get invited for food too?”</p><p>Link looked at her with a hurt expression, “No, I just got this!”</p><p>On his screen was a poorly taken photo, sent by Riju, of the two of them through the window, and underneath was the reply he sent back:</p><p>creep</p><p>“Would you like to come for food?” Zelda giggled.</p><p>“Very much so, but unfortunately I really do need to finish this,” he sighed, pointing at his laptop.</p><p>“I can stay if you want?”</p><p>“No, no, go get some food! You deserve it after all this work,” they laughed as Zelda packed away her stuff. </p><p>“I’ll see you soon,” she said as she slung her backpack over her shoulder.</p><p>“At Midna’s party,” Link shot back, earning a laugh from Zelda. But, before she took more than a couple steps, “Wait...”</p><p>She turned back to him, as he looked up at her with confusion etched into his face.</p><p>“Is that what you wore today?”</p><p>Zelda looked down. She didn’t think there was anything wrong with her jumper a jeans combo? Had she spilt something?</p><p>“What’s wrong with it?” She said, almost a little offended.</p><p>“You’re going to freeze to death out there,” Link said as he began to stand.</p><p>Shit. She hadn’t thought of how cold it would be when she left the library. She had just dressed think how nice the sun looked as it set when she had left the apartment.</p><p>“I didn’t think of that...” she said quietly, looking down to avoid his gaze.</p><p>She felt something fall around her shoulders and rest over her bag. Link had thrown his jacket over her. As she was just realising what he had done, he was already back in his seat, looking up at her.</p><p>“What about you?” She spluttered.</p><p>“I will have a 10 minute bike ride home, tops, you will have to chaperone our drunk friends for who knows how long. You can return it at Midna’s party,” he stuck his tongue out her, proud of his trap to get her to go.</p><p>Zelda crinkled her nose at him, trying to give him stink eyes while failing to suppress a smile.</p><p>“Thank you, see you soon,” she said waving and walking towards the stairs.</p><p>She turned back as she reached the top. Link was silhouetted by the light flooding in through the window, his head down and a concentrated look on his face. He had pulled the long strands of his hair behind his ears to keep them out the way, and he was slowly typing away.<br/>Zelda felt bad, but it wasn’t guilt for leaving him alone. She was just having a good time, and ending that filled her with a melancholy she hadn’t felt for a long time.</p><p>Spending a second to see if he’d look over at her, she made her way down the stairs.</p><p>If she had waited a couple of seconds longer, she would have seen him look over that the stairs, hoping to spot her standing there.</p><p>If, when she had left the library, she had looked up at the window, she would have seen him looking out, hoping to spot her, even long after he knew she had left.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I wasn’t very happy with how previous chapters had turned out, and tried to change things up in this one, let me know what you thought!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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